Delivery design: McDonald’s to inject £250m into upgrading venues to cater for online orders May 16, 2022 McDonald’s has announced it is pumping more than £250m into redesigning its restaurants in the UK and Ireland, to dedicate more space to online orders. In a four-year upgrade scheme titled ‘Convenience of the Future’, the fast food titan said it will seek to provide diners with an even speedier experience. Some 200 restaurants across [...]
Next and Frankie & Benny’s bosses under fire for hefty pay packets May 16, 2022 Frankie & Benny’s and Next bosses are under fire for hefty bonuses after both companies received government support during coronavirus measures. Next chief Simon Wolfson took home almost £4.4m last year, up 50 per cent on the year before, including an annual bonus worth 100 per cent of his basic salary. Meanwhile, Andy Hornby, chief [...]
VAT revenues rise to highest amount ever as HMRC pockets £157bn in just one year May 13, 2022 HMRC collected a record £157.2bn from VAT bills in in the last tax year, a 55 per cent jump on the £101bn collected in 2020/21, after businesses were forced to make up for VAT payments they deferred during the pandemic. Accountants have told City A.M. that HMRC’s VAT income has risen sharply after the rate [...]
Exclusive: Home tech firm SharkNinja backs London with Battersea Power Station office May 12, 2022 US home technology firm SharkNinja has snapped up a new office inside the Battersea Power Station, in a vote of confidence for the capital. The Boston-based company, which produces vacuums and kitchen appliances, told CityA.M. it will take up 25,000 square foot of space in the south-London development. After putting down roots in the UK [...]
Italian restaurant in Llandudno offers crypto as a payment option May 11, 2022 An Italian restaurant in the heart of Welsh seaside resort Llandudno is claiming to be the first eatery in Wales to accept cryptocurrency.
The Aubrey review: Good vibes, but could feel more Japanese May 10, 2022 Sitting down for dinner at The Aubrey, I’m told by a waiter that the restaurant is an ode to “the laidback izakayas of Japan, the country’s answer to relaxed eateries like pubs.” I’ve visited Japan and can attest that izakayas are indeed a bit like pubs. I ate at one in Shinjuku, Tokyo, where men [...]
The City View: Analysing the G7 plan to phase out Russian oil May 9, 2022 Today Andy Silvester talks to City A.M. reporters Nicholas Earl and Leah Montebello. They go through the G7’s decision to phase out Russian oil, historically elevated gas prices, unpick Snapchat owner Snap Inc.’s plan to compete with the likes of TikTok, and break down Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi’s recent letter to employees. And in the [...]
City law firm to investigate senior staff over claims lawyers mistreated waitress May 8, 2022 A TOP CITY law firm has launched an investigation after a Cardiff restaurant owner accused its senior lawyers of acting inappropriately during a leadership dinner. The investigation comes after Lee Skeet, the owner of Cardiff restaurant Cora, said a waitress at his restaurant was “talked down to” and “disrespected” by senior lawyers from London-listed law firm [...]
Can Mayfair’s Park Chinois combine dinner and cabaret and make it good? May 4, 2022 There are lots of things in life that could reasonably be described as ‘a lot.’ Visiting the in-laws can be ‘a lot,’ as can indulging your drunk uncle in conversation when he’s offering his take on cancel culture. Marzipan is also ‘a lot’, and so is trifle. All of these over-stimulating experiences pale by comparison [...]
Boost for embattled hospitality sector: Heineken goes on UK hiring spree as beer giant creates 700 new pub jobs May 3, 2022 Dutch beer giant Heineken has said this morning it will create more than 700 jobs across the UK as part of a £42m investment plan into its pub operation. The brewing company said that 660 pubs – more than a quarter of its Star Pubs & Bars venue business – will be upgraded as part [...]